Thursday, May 6, 2010

The war

“The skies saved us last time. Lord had shown mercy”, General Lysander thought looking at the calm blue cloudless sky. “Let my folks men not starve”, he prayed as he examined his fellow Spartans working.

The ship cut through the waves ferociously leaving behind enormous delicate white foam. Each battle of Spartans against the Athens told a different story; of destruction and starvation. The wars were savage, brutal and with verge of enmity. Nobody was evil in a war; the war as such was evil enticing people to do their worst.

Spartan’s last battle was a near death experience and they had to flee. They had lost 70 ships and most of the crew men were stranded. Mercy was shown when the weather turned sour and Athens could not attack them.General had heard that Athens had turned against their naval commanders executing six of them without a second thought. War makes anyone either a hero or a murderer.“My men and I are not heartless”, he thought, “a situation makes us so”.

They had to fight again; defeat or victory was not in their hands but they had to believe. They had to end what they had started.Standing tall at the end of the ship, dressed in golden armour that reflected the sunlight, general looked like a king. He knew battles are fought and won not with man power but intellectual. And he was gifted with it in surplus. He had befriended Cyrus and his strength grew in manifolds.

Everything had a convergence and when that was destroyed, half the battle could be considered victory. He was going to attack Hellensport which was the grain area of the Athens. Poverty and starvation would be the result but choice was minimal.

Men fight to experience death; to find what hunger is all about’, he thought as he wore his war clothes and shield. Everyone was working as if they were leading the army.

The uneventful journey continued for 7 nights but their spirit was not dampened.

The ships hit the shore on the eighth day. In an enemy land, it was danger that waited but today only silence did. The crew moved in groups and cautious with each step. The dawn was to break in few minutes while the crew waited behind the cliff till they could see each other’s face.

He, commander of Athens, strode towards the sea with such arrogance and majestic justifying the position he held. ‘Everyone walks like that in his land’, thought Lysander, ‘only to find that it may not belong to him the next day’. He was followed by two of the fellow citizens; malnutritioned and completely ignored. They carried his clothes and armour. The sword was hung around his hip. ‘Careful person’, noted Lysander.

Lysander had to start as his men waited for him. With a short prayer on his lips , he strode forward looking only at the commander. He bellowed to bring in the fury in him. He had to take back what belonged truly to them.

Lysander was impressed with the way Athenian commander drew out the sword almost immediately. The commander was on his heels and stood waiting for him. In his last step, Lysander jumped and the swords of the two enemies met to write a history.Lysander was blinded by anger and the only thing he sought out for was revenge. He could not see what was beyond that. With every acquaintance of the sword, power was less but the belief was more. Athenian commander was an animal and fought with power and no brain.Lysander was hurt physically, only physically but strength within him grew. His men still waited for their leader to finish the commander. With one stroke that came suddenly and accurate, he beheaded the Athenian commander.He raised his sword that had glistened in the light but now covered with blood.